Göreme Open-Air Museum Place guide

The mystifying Göreme Open Air Museum or the Göreme National Museum, one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Turkey, is a complex of monasteries at the center of the Cappadocian region. It is located near the village of Göreme, 3km northeast of Uchisar. 

The honeycomb cave dwellings of Göreme Cappadocia’s open-air museum are etched into the landscape, providing visual intrigue as well as a dwelling for carpet shops, tour companies and restaurants everywhere. Despite commercialization, however, the place has held on to a degree of authentic charm. 

A short stroll off the village’s main street or into the nearby valleys will take you up into tuff landscapes, vineyards cultivated for pekmez (grape molasses), and rock-cut cave churches from the 10th-12th centuries. The latter includes:

• St. Barbara Church
• Apple (Elmali) Church
• Snake (Yilanli) Church
• The Dark Church (Karanlik Kilise)
• Carikli (Sandals) Church
• Buckle (Tokali) Church 

Check out our Green Tour Cappadocia to immerse yourself in them: Cappadocia Ihlara Valley & Göreme (Green Tour) – Full Day

How to get there: From Goreme, follow the signs to Müze Cd going east. The Goreme Open Air Museum is only 1 mile (1.7 km) from the town center. While it is walkable, be advised that the road is steep and winding. Cars also pass by this road, so practice caution while heading back after dark. If you’re driving, there is plenty of parking near the museum entrance.

1.5km southeast of Goreme village; open daily in the summer from 8am-7pm, winter from 8am-5pm